News & Events

Outdoor Adventure Program helps first-year students transition to college life

While most students mark the beginning of a semester by receiving syllabi on the first day of classes, first-year students enrolled in an Outdoor Adventure Program will begin their semester early by participating in one of three different excursions: backpacking, canoeing, or sharing their time with others through community service.

Designed to help first-year students with the transition to college, the optional Outdoor Adventure Program supplements required first-year seminar classes. Students form friendships, learn about college life, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves through these learning opportunities—all before classes begin.

Building for Tomorrow: August 14–17, 2013

Students learn civic responsibility and experience the joy they can provide by sharing time with a child, rehabilitating the surrounding community, and broadening cultural horizons through community service. This summer, students will volunteer at Berks Encore, Opportunity House, Gring’s Mill, Co-County Wellness Services, the Humane Society of Berks County, The Reading Hospital and Medical Center, and Nolde Forest.

Canoeing Adventure: August 18–21, 2013

Participants will camp out for three days and two nights in tents on the banks of the Delaware River, enjoying breathtaking views and an abundance of wildlife while learning about the value of teamwork through canoeing.

A Walk in the Woods: August 20–23, 2013

This four-day/three-night backpacking adventure will allow students to enjoy the solitude of the woods, cook outdoors, sleep under the stars, and learn hiking skills in the beautiful outdoors of Pennsylvania. The group will geocache, solve problems, and practice team building as a prelude to the college experience.

These programs are only open to first-year students. Participants earn general education credit upon successful completion of activities related to the respective program. For more information, contact Campus Life at 610-396-6076.

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